1. Make sure the bike behind you makes any major turn.
2. Try to keep sight of lights of bikes behind you, at least every 5 minutes.
3. Thum Up hand sign meaning I am OK/Ready/Roll on

Nice to have:

3. Spread out to keep out of previous riders dust
4. Ride your own safe speed, group will wait.
5. Off bike water breaks every 50 minutes or 50 km
6. If there is a need for awardrobe malfunction, just stop and adjust, group will wait.
7. Group up every 15 minutes for thum up sign.

1. Make sure the bike behind you makes any major turn.
2. Try to keep sight of lights of bikes behind you, at least every 5 minutes.
3. Thum Up hand sign meaning I am OK/Ready/Roll on

Nice to have:

3. Spread out to keep out of previous riders dust
4. Ride your own safe speed, group will wait.
5. Off bike water breaks every 50 minutes or 50 km
6. If there is a need for awardrobe malfunction, just stop and adjust, group will wait.
7. Group up every 15 minutes for thum up sign.

All the modern technology and the GPS still won't tell you that the road you are on is not the one you thought it was.

We took the east end from 40 thinking it would be a good way to get to Coleman. There is a bit of snow at the top around km 20 or so but we made it past without too much difficulty (my brain forgets quickly). Dry and dusty coming down except for one narrow, muddy spot south of the new quad bridge. Then came km 12. More snow. It was about 12-18 inches deep and soft. As we didn't know how far this patch of white hell continued - and neither of us wanted to walk that far to find out - we turned around. back to 40, down to Coleman for food and fuel then hammer back on 22 to Calgary, angry wives and cold supper. A long 10 hour adventure that should have been a few hours shorter (at least) had we not been 'playing' in the wet and white...

Really unlikely, based on last Saturdays ride over 532. Go back a page or two and see the snow pictures.

This pass over the hump on 532 to 40 was in great shape and essentially bone dry. All of this snow was gone except for the summits. The Dutch creek road on the other hand had snow at the first pass and impassable snow at the second pass. fully across the road and 2-3 feet deep, but unsure... it will be a while before that all melts! Calgary06 and I had a good day trying though!

On the way back we explored another green lane that branched north off that same lane and stopped at a swampy section. It looked a bit messy to attempt a crossing with no idea what lay ahead. Maybe when it dries out.

I know that spot, it seldom dries out completly and is usually too deep to get through. I've made it across I think perhaps only twice when it was drier around the edges. The last couple years it's been really chewed up by 4x4s and much worse, there was even an abandoned car dumped just before it a couple years back. After that section the road gradually improves until it eventually becomes a good gravel road that ties in with the east weat road you ended up on. Nothing special to go through on and hardly worth the work of slogging through the mud hole - unless you're into that sort ot thing.

Once I came around to the idea that I could own 2 bikes started lurking, then decided on a vstrom 650. Owners love them and I hope to join them after taking it out for a ride. It will be good for powderface and similar roads and for longer pavement rides. (if I can believe what I have read about them)

Anyone recommend good tires for the wee strom. It has trail wings on their way out. What do guys recommend for using them for gravel use. I think skid plate and engine guards, anything else.

Of course if there is hooligan opportunity on a ride it has to be the xr650l.

Once I came around to the idea that I could own 2 bikes started lurking, then decided on a vstrom 650. Owners love them and I hope to join them after taking it out for a ride. It will be good for powderface and similar roads and for longer pavement rides. (if I can believe what I have read about them)

Anyone recommend good tires for the wee strom. It has trail wings on their way out. What do guys recommend for using them for gravel use. I think skid plate and engine guards, anything else.

Of course if there is hooligan opportunity on a ride it has to be the xr650l.

Take a look at the Mitas E 07's at MX1 Canada I'm pretty happy with mine, Sunday we rode 200km's of gravel to get to Rosebud and then to Wanye.

First real ride on my new bike. 93 to Settlers road and then into Canal Flats for fuel. Camped at Findlay Falls. Next day I tried to get over to Fernie via the Bull River FSR. It's not open. I also learned that Grey Creek Pass will be closed for the season and possibly indefinitely due to land slides. Generally things are fine as long as you are below 2000m. After that it depends on if the road was opened and how much sun it gets. Looks like there should be lots of rideable stuff open for the weekend depending on how the weather goes this week.

The top of Bull River FSR is not open yet

This puddle ended up being over my front wheel. And once I realized the road was closed I had to drive back through it...

First real ride on my new bike. 93 to Settlers road and then into Canal Flats for fuel. Camped at Findlay Falls. Next day I tried to get over to Fernie via the Bull River FSR. It's not open. I also learned that Grey Creek Pass will be closed for the season and possibly indefinitely due to land slides. Generally things are fine as long as you are below 2000m. After that it depends on if the road was opened and how much sun it gets. Looks like there should be lots of rideable stuff open for the weekend depending on how the weather goes this week.

Awesome stuff. I was wondering how the snow was back there. Passes are DEFINITELY closed.

There was rumour the GCP was closed two years ago, but opened. As long as they put a fence where my bike will get around, I don't care.

Seeing how much snow was on the bull I think we'll direct our dual sport ride into a dirt bike trip instead. Go to an area that benefits from rain...